The Shipwreck Begins
by meowbooks
Summary: Murtogg and Mullroy were pirates once.It was a matter of honor! They had to repay a life debt, you see... Post-Curse of the Black Pearl
1. The Storm

**Disclaimer**: Alas, the Royal Navy men still don't belong to me.

I started writing Shipwreck:Murtogg and Mullroy before there was even a whisper of the two turning pirate, because I thought it was the most unlikely thing. After At World's End, I decided to look over it again. It had been my first long PotC fanfic so naturally, I loved it and hated it to bits.It was unacceptable, it would all have to be redone! And that, my dear reader is what I have before you now...

******Chapter 1: The Storm**

The sea was stirred up as if Poseidon had left his two year old with a spoon and wandered off to collect sea urchins. Above, below, and around briny water gushed in a confused deluge plastering cloth to skin, rolling and pitching the H.M.S._ Faithful_ and her crew. Jagged slivers of lightning were the only sources of penetrating light. The sailors and marines alike held tight to whatever was at hand struggling to secure an odd item with another knot or simply avoid being washed away.

"This reminds me of that story!" shouted one such marine sputtering as water replaced air. He secured his soggy hat to his head with the one hand he could spare. His name was Mullroy and is one character you shall be well acquainted with by the end of this tale. Murtogg, a skinnier and slightly taller brown haired, though it was difficult to tell at the moment, man struggled his way closer to respond. "Which one?"

"Ship spinning to it's doom as the creature—"Mullroy spat again. "--slurped to take a drink! Pfeh!"

"I like that one!" screeched Murtogg. They were mere feet away from each other and strained to hear. "And the one with the mermaids!" Mullroy shook his head and another wave slammed into the ship. Murtogg shouted again keeping a firm grip on his hat, "Fishy tailed half-women!"

"Greetings, storytellers!" The two turned still clinging to the rail. A lieutenant named Farcett inched towards them, a lantern flickering feebly in his hand. He grinned at them.

"It's no time for telling tales now." He spat out rainwater, "Gillette needs a hand with the lifeboat back there." Murtogg hesitated and looked at Mullroy before continuing, "Sir?"

"What is it?"

"He thinks we lost his shoe. We were never near his shoes!"

"Oh," nodded Farcett understanding. Then he smiled wider, "My apologies, _I'm_ the one who relocated his shoe. Go on and tell him. Then make sure that boat's secure." He winked. "That bit's an order."

"Aye, Lieutenant Farcett." said Mullroy. The two made sure he was lost behind the rain before hurrying to help Gillette. The officer frowned and flared his nostrils, but said nothing as they untied the ropes. The two marines silently decided not to tell him about Farcett's shoe relocating.

One by one they untied the clumsy knots and retied properly until they came to the last one. Murtogg slipped between the boat and the rail to untie the offending knot. Blinking back the rain, he yanked at the rope. "It's not coming undone!"

"Try wiggling it a bit more…"

"Twist it to the right— "

"No,no, we twisted it to the _left_!"

Gillette tapped his foot impatiently before squeezing into the small space. He opened his mouth and— THUD! The ship pitched and the boat swerved into him. He slid down, crumpling to the deck.

"There, see it was to the left!" Murtogg smiled patting his friend on the shoulder. Mullroy looked up from the untied knot. "Where'd he go?"

"Tired of waiting for us, I suspect." Murtogg straightened and stretched a bit.

"Murtogg…Murtogg!"

The slimmer marine saw the thoroughly knocked out lieutenant's closed eyes and gaping mouth. He glanced up at the rain. "He'll drown!" He bit his lip. "Then, he'll shout at us…"

Mullroy pulled the lieutenant more or less to his feet. "Don't be silly. He'd come back and haunt us if he drowned."

"What's the proper procedure for lieutenants knocked out by boats?" Murtogg picked up Gillette's hat and placed it carefully on his head. "We didn't do it on purpose…It's not like we took the boat and said, 'Oh, look I can swing this boat at Gillette! Whooo!'"

Mullroy squinted into the rain. "Sssh! Someone's coming!"

"What's going on here?"

"Lieutenant Gillette was hit by something, sir..."


	2. Games

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Jack either. I wouldn't claim him either for fear of his ardent admirers...

******Chapter 2: Games**

_Before the storm..._

The dreadlocked and gold toothed pirate seemed unfazed by the atrocious stench his accuser wore heavy as a muddy pig. The large accuser dangled him above the ground by his shirt. Jack merely looked offended and hurt. If you were to witness the scene you might even be inclined to think large oafish men silently threatened him with bodily harm everyday. Jack frowned, "Cheating? Do I look like the sort o' man who would cheat?"

"As matter o' fact YEH DO!" roared the oafish man spittle flying from his mouth. The pirate flashed his gold teeth and glanced around at the men sitting at card table.

"Yes, but everyone here looks like the sort who would cheat-" The card game participants rose from their chairs. Jack held up his hands. "-but I'm sure none of us are."

His accuser looked hard at everyone seated. He sent one man into a fit of nervous feminine giggling, another inched his chair away slowly, and yet another gripped his bottle of rum cracking the glass.

"Right..." agreed the stinky man setting Jack back into his chair. Jack grinned and took his cards up again. The card game resumed in room thirteen of the Black Dog Inn.

" It seems gents…I've won again!" grinned Jack triumphantly spreading his cards on the table. Groans of frustration filled the room. Clunks and thumps sounded as the losers tossed in whatever they had bet. There were earrings, pocket watches, a bejeweled goblet, coins, and even a cane with an silver handle, among other things. Jack swept them all into a sack. The stinky man slumped back into his chair, worry on his face. There was a knock on the door.

"Anyone want to get that?" said Jack stretching like a cat. A cat who was named after a bird and had just snared a very fat rat and the cream.

"It's your room." said a thin, almost skeletal man slumping in his chair. "You answer it!"

Another man slumped in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. He grumbled in the most slumpy way possible. "Get yer own door." It was a most undeniable time for slumping.

"I'll give back whatever they lost to whoever opens the door."

A scramble started and Jack smiled as his guests fought over the doorknob. The oafish one won with a quick jab to the skeleton thin one's nose. The door opened and there stood an old man with a very large nose and a rather ill-kept wig. Jack and his chair fell backward. The large nosed man sniffed, and blew his nose before sighing, "His most dishonorable, the ever notorious…though no one has ever heard of him…Captain Snaffoam."

He stepped aside, but no one came forward. He sighed heavily and looked over his shoulder. Jack swept his scattered winnings back into his sack, tossed a few odd things towards the stinky man's way before blasting through the balcony doors, over the rail and down the leafy plant life clinging to the inn.

Jack scurried into an alley way and dove behind an old, left behind, piece of canvas. He waited, but the familiar thudding of boots and firing did not come. That meant one of two things. Either Snaffoam had yet to initiate the chase or Jack was hidden better than he had thought. He crawled out from the canvas, stretched and dusted himself off. Jack put his hat on and wrinkled his nose. It had acquired a fish and wet rat smell. He retrieved his sack, slung it over his shoulder and turned a corner humming softly.

A small round object, bejeweled with tiny gems, plonked out of his sack. The goblet rolled down the slant of the street. He scurried after it, sack on shoulder , bent over, hand outstretched, "Oy, goblet! C' mere!"

He dashed down after it focusing on his prize. "No, no, no, not down the-" He halted, letting the goblet fall into the hands of a young boy. He winced as he saw his lovely new goblet picked up by a little urchin with red hair. The boy waved it above his head and ran down the street shouting, "Charlie! Charlie! Have a look at this!"

Well, at least some of his winnings would go towards a worthy cause. Jack smiled at the thought and headed towards his beloved Black Pearl.


	3. The Nameless Island

******Chapter 3: The Nameless Island**

The H.M.S_ Faithful_ had not been, well, faithful. It had been it's maiden voyage and one tantrum on a supernatural toddler's part had been enough to send it picnicking with fishes and sea slugs. Thankfully, most of the crew made it safely to civilized shores. The two that hadn't found themselves in quite a predicament.

The sun twisted down white, ocean and sky were an untainted blue, and waves gently touched the island stopping short of two pairs of black booted feet. They were miserable. Not the boots, but the men wearing them. Actually, Mullroy was miserable. Murtogg was more optimistic.

He sat and wondered what a tiny hermit crab was thinking. He'd always thought crabs were funny things. They had two pinchy claws, skinny legs, and strange black eyes sticking out of their shell. He hadn't ever had the chance to look at them as long as he liked. Of course, he'd never been shipwrecked before either. They were on a pitiful island fourteen paces long and 10 paces wide. There were a few hermit crabs shuffled in the white sand, bits of coral, and around the remains of a fire that had long since burned out and not much else.

"Look what I did, Mully!" shouted Murtogg. Mullroy pulled his black tri-cornered hat off his face, opened his eyes, sat up and uninterestedly gazed at the collection of shells and wet sand his friend had assembled into a tiny naval fort. It was complete with tiny stone cannons and seaweed soldiers.

"That's nice." Mullroy said before falling backward onto the sand and pulling his hat back over his eyes. Murtogg crawled away from his fort and waited for him to say something else. He didn't. Murtogg stared at a patch of horizon before speaking again. "So...what do you think we should do now?"

"We could start by building a boat," mumbled Mullroy. His hat was still over his face.

"I don't think we can," frowned Murtogg. "No wood."

"We could...sew a sail."

"We don't have any needles." sighed Murtogg looking at the remains of the fire.

"We could knock coconuts down."

" We don't have a tree," explained Murtogg. Mullroy sat up, his hat fell into his lap, he looked to the left, then to the right. No coconut trees.

"Where are we anyway?" asked Murtogg staring at the same patch of horizon as before.

"An island so small I doubt it has a name."

Murtogg straightened his slouch and smiled, "We should name it!"

"Name what?"

"The island."

Mullroy raised an eyebrow and stared. "Name something because it hasn't one?"

"Yes." nodded Murtogg enthusiastically setting a hermit crab on his fort and nudging it towards a second. The two crabs were very confused and didn't know how to escape. " Do you think the small one will fight the big one and take over it's little shell home?"

"That's not very nice..." said Mullroy frowning at the little scene.

"What isn't very nice?" asked Murtogg poking the hermit crabs a bit closer together. The two scuttled into their shells and cowered in fear at the strange two legged creature with the menacing seashell. They had never seen such a thing before. "What do you think of Mullroy's Spit?"

"You're naming it after me?" asked Mullroy happily. Murtogg nodded prodding the two shaking shells closer. Mullroy grinned. "Aw, thank you, Murtogg! Not many can say their friends name islands after their spit."

"Do you think the crabs have swords when they fight?"

Mullroy rolled his eyes. It would be the first of many occasions. When he was satisfied he had rolled enough for that instance he blinked. _What was that?_ He shielded his eyes in an attempt to block out the glare of the sun and looked to the horizon. Could it be? "It is!" . He whipped off his hat and began waving it about. "It's a-a-ship! Over here! Over here!"

Murtogg looked up from his fort and the crabs. His face broke into a grin. He began waving his hat around. "Think we should alert the commodore?" He took off his coat and waved it around realizing it was a much more effective way to be seen than his small black three-cornered hat.

"Very funny, he wasn't on the _Faithful _and even if he was he isn't here now, is he?"

"Oh." Murtogg began jumping up and down, coat over his head, jumping between every word he said. "Hey-hey-over-here!"

Mullroy's head bobbed up and down as he watched his friend bounce, "Why…are you doing that?"

"I'm-doing-it-so-they-can-see-us-better!" Mullroy considered his point, nodded in understanding then began doing the same. Mullroy squinted trying to get a better look at it as they hopped excitably.

His smile melted off silently as a faintly familiar sight slid into view. He lowered his hat. It was ship with midnight sails. A figure head maiden stood under the bowsprit with hands outstretched ready to free a bird spreading it's wings. It sliced through the clear waters like a well-sharpened sword through butter. It was smaller than the galleons laden down with gold from the New World or the ships of the British Fleet. It was swift, designed for out maneuvering and outwitting.

Once a captain that did not deserve his title or the beauty of a ship that had been marred by his unappreciative care had guided it. Now, as it should have been for the last ten years, at the helm was someone who understood her, who truly cared, who had for too long been deprived of his rightful place and title he had earned in her name.


	4. Catch Me A Dream

**Disclaimer: **Alright! The story is beginning to pick up steam. This chapter should look slightly familiar if you read the original Shipwreck: Murtogg and Mullroy.

**Chapter 4**

**Catch Me A Dream**

_A parrot-less Cotton handed the wheel over to Jack. The captain was silent intent on listening to what his dark lady told him. Poseidon's child cracked the sky bright with another tantrum fueled howl and toss of his uncle's thunderbolt. The Pearl creaked in warning amidst the noise. Jack studied the swaying masts and straining sails. "She won't hold! Raise canvas!" His voice carried through the rough raindrops starting a chain of shouts._

_"Up! Up! Captain's orders!"_

_"Pull 'em up, you ratters!"_

_"Aye, aye, fierce Captain, sir!"_

_The last shout was unfamiliar and too young to be anyone he'd looked over in the latest batch of crewmembers. Jack looked to the sails and rigging. Lightning lit them and he spied three small figures that could only be boys working at a sail. "Mr. Gibbs!" _

_The quartermaster finished a gulp from his trusty canteen before sloshing to his captain's side. He mimicked his captain's gaze. "St. Elmo's fire! Where'd they come from?" He turned back to Jack. "Sorry, what were ye sayin'?"_

_ "Never mind." Jack tilted his head shouted skyward. "You three! On deck!" The three boys scaled down, heads concentrated on placing their hands and feet, and tossing heads to flip water stuck hair from their eyes. Jack observed their descent. His dark eyes widened. _

_Was it a trembling of the Pearl that only he understood? Keen eyes of a man younger than he? Or his uncanny ability at judging people's abilities? Either way, the next thing Joshamee Gibbs knew was Jack was no longer at his side, but darting forward, swooping and crashing to the deck, something he had snagged from the sky in his arms. Gibbs hurried forward. "Jack!"_

_The trembling snip of a boy stared into the pirate's eyes. Jack could feel both their hearts thumping wildly. "Alright, then?" The boy gulped and nodded. "Oh good. Get off!"_

_ The two other boys helped the smaller snip of a boy off his savior. Gibbs bent over the captain and hoisted him to his feet treating the very vocal protests as proof the younger man was still amongst the living. They turned towards the boys. Gibbs stared them down, "Who are you, then?"_

_The smallest one fell to his knees-Gibbs was beginning to think he made a habit of falling-and started sputtering, "Don't take our shoes, feed us to the mermaids, make us eat greens and-and—" The boy gulped and pointed to the taller boys. "I tried to stop them! Told them they shouldn't be sneaking off in the dark of the night when pirates come and snatch boys away making them eat vegetables and—and—"_

_"What he means is we have payment!" said the red haired one stepping forward. He nudged his friend with an elbow. That one scurried below deck and returned a golden goblet in his hand._

_ Jack squinted at it and then at the red headed boy. He knew both of them. He'd given them gold and they'd given him pain._ Wonderful_. _

_The red head spoke, "I'm Oliver, this here's Charlie…" He nodded to the second tallest one. " and—" _

_"The one who's going to be thrown overboard is Jonathan Green, we call him Jon," Charlie shot a death glare at the mentioned person. "The following puppy we never wanted." _

_"Charlie Mercer!" said Oliver in a "you know that wasn't right" tone Jack had only ever heard mothers use._

_"What?" Charlie frowned. "Oh, alright." He sighed, then pulled Jon to his feet. "I'm sorry, Jon."_

_Gibbs frowned and looked at Jack hopefully. " Orders?" Jack stared at the three boys for a moment, then at the properly secured sail above their heads. _

_"Well, we can't throw them overboard." Jack tried to raise an arm to accept the goblet, winced, and lowered it again. "Give it to Gibbs."_

_ "Oh, thank you sir!" Oliver rushed forward and energetically began shaking his new captain's hand. _

_"AHHHHHHCKKKK!"_

_ "Oh, sorry…I forgot."_

_ "Lovely!" said Jack gritting his teeth. "One question, what sort of stowaways…don't stowaway?"_

_ "You said all hands on deck, sir."_

_ "I'm beginning to regret it."_

"CAP'N! Come quick! You have to look at this!" Jack slowly opened his eyes and winced as sunlight flooded through the cabin open door. The speaker was a mere silhouette. "We appreciate you steerin' us through that storm and all, but Navy men! Waving hats, red co—"Jack held up one hand to stop the boy. Jack sat up slowly, his back and shoulders still remembering the scrape from the night before. "Are we being attacked?"

"No."

"Is the Pearl sinking?"

"Uh-uh."

"Are we in mortal, moral, or any sort of danger at all?"

"I wouldn't say so."

"What is then, Oliver?"

His crew was gathered on deck to watch a peculiar sight. Two men were standing on a pitiful excuse of an island jumping up and down waving their red coats like children straining to see a over a crowd. Gibbs tossed him a collapsible telescope, he opened it and put one eye to it to look at them closer and he smiled in amusement.

"That's interesting…That's very interesting…"


	5. We're Saved!

**Disclaimer:** Alas, the redcoated duo is not and has never been mine. The only thing that belongs to me in this story are the three boys...who aren't in this chapter.

**We're Saved!**

"Look I think it's seen us!" Murtogg exclaimed happily. The two ceased their energetic hopping. The ship had come to a slow stop and the sails were being taken in.

"It's stopping! Yes! WE'RE SAVED!" Murtogg began dancing around in circles waving his hat. He threw his coat into the air and it quickly attached itself to Mullroy's face. Murtogg sprinted around happily chanting while Mullroy hobbled about in the sand trying to get the unrelenting coat off.

" Who-what-hey-this-HEY!" Mullroy stumbled backwards and tripped over a large seashell.

Murtogg danced and sang loudly unaware that on every circle he made his deftly performed jumps were perfectly timed to leap over Mullroy rolling about in the sand. "We're saved! We are saved! Saved! Saved!"

"That's great. I need to be saved if it isn't too much trouble!" Unfortunately, through the fabric of the coat it was a confused, muffled, jumble that made as much sense as watering anemones on the ocean floor.

"It's a ship! It's a ship! We are saved! We are saved! Saved! Sav—Ow!" Murtogg was caught mid-leap by a well aimed kick and he landed face first. Still spitting out sand he scrambled to his feet. "You kicked me!"

"Help me get this blasted coat off!" Mullroy hollered as he continued to tug at his friend's coat.

Murtogg kicked sand onto Mullroy. "Why would you do that?"

"You weren't paying the least bit of attention to me!"said Mullroy. It was still quite unintelligible to Murtogg.

"I can't believe you kicked me! And stop shouting I can't understand a word you're saying!"

"What was I suppose to do? Help me get it off!" Mullroy had stopped rolling and was shaking his head in dismay (though you couldn't see it.)

"I was right in the middle of a _leaping_ moment!" Murtogg folded his arms and plopped down next to Mullroy on the sand. "You ruined the leaping moment!"

Mullroy concluded shouting wasn't helping matters at all, "Please. Will you _please_ take the bloody coat off my head."

"I used to have leaping contests when I was younger with the other boys and I beat 'em all, I did." grumbled Murtogg. "I was the best. You just kicked the best leaper in Wicks Market!" Murtogg looked over his shoulder down at Mullroy. "Are you even listening?"

Murtogg kneeled down and unbuttoned the coat, much to his friend's relief. Mullroy took his hat and put it back on. "Was I listening? Did _you_ listen I would've been screaming my head off if it hadn't been stuck in your bloody coat! And what were you doing? Trying to trample me?"

"I was _leap-ping._"

"Well, I don't want to talk to a leaper."

"And I don't want to talk to a kicker!"

"Fine."

"FINE!"

So the two sat there watching the ship lower it's anchor, then lower a rowboat, then they watched the rowboat. Murtogg shifted in place a bit. Mullroy cleared his throat. Murtogg squinted at the ship. Mullroy refolded his arms. Murtogg snuck a glance at Mullroy, but turned when Mullroy snuck a glance at him. Mullroy glanced at Murtogg, but looked away when Murtogg looked his way. This went on a few more times. They weren't very good at furtive glances because they caught the person every time.

Finally, Mullroy cleared his throat, "Best leaper in Wicks Market…Well done."

"Thank you," smiled Murtogg. There was another awkward pause. "You know what I just realized?"

"What?"

"That's the Black Pearl." The two redcoats' eyes widened and they turned their heads to look at each other, then at the Black Pearl. They leapt to their feet.

Murtogg grinned and started waving again, "HELLO MR.SPARROW! MR.SPARROW! IT'S US-" Mullroy shoved his hat in his face. Murtogg pulled it off. "Why did you-"

"Sshh! We can't arrest all of them by ourselves!" whispered Mullroy urgently. He dropped down to his knees and began frantically digging in the sand with his hands.

Murtogg looked at him as if he had lost all reason and had succumbed to insanity in the Caribbean sun. Which reminded him of the pirate who's attention he had tried to get. He looked up. The rowboat was much closer now and he could see who was in it: Jack Sparrow and two boys.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen!" Captain Jack Sparrow stood in the approaching rowboat. He removed his hat with a sweeping motion and bowed deeply. When he straightened, his smile faded. One redcoat was curiously digging like a dog in the sand while the other stared blankly at him.

"But they're going to help us!" said Murtogg.

"What are we?" Mullroy inquired throwing clods of sand behind him.

"Hot, tired and-"

"We're Royal MARINES! What do you think they're going to do when they see us?"


	6. I Can't Swim!

Disclaimer: PotC isn't mine. In today's edition of The Shipwreck Begins someone screams...

**I Can't Swim!**

The two boys gasped in awe. Oliver jumped up and knocked his captain backwards. The boat tipped precariously as Jack landed on his rump. Oliver waved his hands at the marines. The oar he'd been holding clattered to the bottom of the boat. "Real marines, Charlie, let's go on their ship!"

"Yeah!" agreed Charlie throwing his oar. Jack lunged for it and scooped it out of the water. He sighed, shook his head and started rowing. He hadn't known they'd be this troublesome. A discouraged look crossed Charlie's face. "Wait, I can't swim."

"Aw, I can't swim either!" said Oliver sitting down.

"How are we going to join the navy?"

"Oh! I know, we'll tell them he's Jack—"

"Hold up there! As long as I am your captain you will refer to me as such in my presence. Two, they don't have a ship unless of course he's digging it up…"He glanced at the redcoats. "Unlikely. They can't swim so that will not lessen your chances of admittance. And lastly, I appreciate the fact that you are thinking of serving king and country—"

"No, we wanted to join the navy." said Oliver.

"Some of them jump ship and become pirates in the end! Why not skip a step?" The boys smiled mischievously and started listing the reasons with conspiratorial glee:

"Big hats!"

"Fancy Clothes!"

" Swords!"

"Battling storms!"

"Glory, honor and—"

"Apples!"

Oliver paused. _"_What do they have to do with the navy?"

"Everything!"

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Well, _not_ liking apples is crazy!" Charlie bellowed at his apple-hating former friend. He glared at his apple loathing face and his apple hating frown and his apple colored hair that didn't like apples.

Oliver gasped astonished that his friend would think such a thing. "I used to eat them all the time with you!"

"Then why did you say they don't make sense?" Charlie challenged if Oliver really liked apples he wouldn't have offended them. He would have said they were the best fruit in the entire world! Captain Sparrow rolled his eyes as if he could read Charlie's thoughts silently rowing and listening to their unnecessary banter.

"I said _you _made no sense!"

"Who joins the navy anyhow?" Charlie retorted.

"Who's idea was it again?" Oliver said in mock contemplation. "Oh, yours!"

"I've decided to become a pirate!" Charlie proclaimed folding his arms.

"_I'm_ going to be in the navy!"

"Good! I'll steal your ship!"

"It's-its called-co-com-cam-"

"Commandeering?" Sparrow sighed. He hadn't realized they would be this troublesome.

"Yes, that's it! See even the pirate-"

"First you insult apples then you insult Captain Jack Sparrow?" Charlie looked his apple despising friend up and down and added venomously "How do you _live_ with yourself?"

Oliver pounced. The two boys hit the bottom of the boat, scratching, growling, hissing, a fury of movement. A creak, a guhlump, the boat swung upside down, and Jack found a red haired boy clinging to the top of his head and dunking him up and down.. Jack waded to the boat, flipped it back up and shoved Oliver back in.

"Help I can't swim! Help! Help!" Charlie shouted thrashing about flinging water everywhere. Oliver leaned over to the side of the boat, flipping his hair out of his eyes.

"CHARLIE, DON'T DIE!"

"Uh, yeah I don't think that was on my list. HELP! Help!" Charlie watched Jack splash in the opposite direction. "Where are you going! HELP ME!" Jack snatched one oar up.

Oliver couldn't believe what he was seeing. Jack chucked an oar into the boat. "An OAR?" Oliver picked it up and used it to point. "Charlie's over there!" Jack waded towards the second oar.

"Do you want me to die or something?"

Jack handed the second oar to Oliver and turned finally regarding Charlie. "You don't need to be saved."

Charlie smirked at him as if the pirate hadn't realized what sort of dire situation he was in. _I can't_ _swim and I'm in the ocean. How can they be so annoyed at me when I am clearly was going to die if they fail to do something about it_! "Yes, I do. I-can't- swim!"

"Contradicting a captain? You lads really aren't going to do well in the king's navy…" Jack sighed without taking his eyes off the boy in the water he continued, "Are they Mr. Murtogg?"

Murtogg was now close enough to hear everything. Mullroy was pretending he couldn't and kept on digging himself a hole. Murtogg nodded, "Oh yes, that sort of thing just wouldn't do."

Oliver was appalled that they could just stand on their bit of land and think proper procedures were more important than the fact his mate was in the water!

"I think it would do if you saved me or something! I can't swim you know! I've been shouting it all day and-"Charlie stopped as Sparrow made his way towards him. "Going to save me now?"

"I can't save you."

"Oh! So you're here to watch me drown. Fantastic!"

Jack flashed a look of pure irritation. "How can I save you when you're standing in ankle deep water?"


	7. The Chapter with an Unimaginative Title

9-7-08 My apologies for taking so long to update. I now present you with...

**Chapter 7: The Chapter with an Unimaginative Title  
**

Charlie glanced at his feet, twisted his mouth into a sour lemon frown, and pushed his limp, wet, hair out of his eyes. He folded his arms dripping in silence. Jack leaned on an oar he had propped up, his three-cornered hat crooked on his head. Oliver squeaked, buried his face in his arms, his shoulders began to tremble and a strangled sort of grunt escaped his lips before he rolled over onto his back in the boat and shook it with cannonades of laughter.

"What are you giggling 'bout? I knew I was in the shallows…"Charlie mumbled unsuccessful in his attempt to sound convincing. Oliver sat up. "Bury yourself in the sand!"

Charlie launched an unfortunate hermit crab (who had been unlucky enough to think he had escaped the strange two legged ones) at Oliver. Charlie kneeled down, ignoring the sand Mullroy still kicked back, grabbed a fistful of coral, and brought his arm back, but Murtogg gripped his wrist. "That's not polite at all."

Charlie wrenched his arm out of his grip and bent down to grab another fistful of coral. Murtogg caught him around the middle and pulled him backwards. Charlie strained forward with his arms and dragged his heels forming a sideways "V". Charlie slipped free and the navy man automatically snatched the back of Charlie's collar and yanked him back. Oliver sensing he was safe for the moment peered over the edge of the boat's side.

"Apple traitor!" shrieked Charlie kicking sand in Oliver's direction.

Jack flashed his gold teeth at Murtogg. "Before we proceed…" Jack pointed an oar over his shoulder toward the Black Pearl. "my crew would appreciate being assured that this isn't an elaborate trap set on caging me and my shivery flock of a crew."

Murtogg wrinkled up his nose in confusion. "Shivery flock? Wait," His eyes widened as if he were seeing Jack for the first time. "Why are you here?"

Jack began counting off the reasons, "You two lack food, water, weapons, this strip of sand will most likely vanish at high tide, Gibbs spouted something about the shape of your head and how it 'bodes ill' for us all and with the exception of these valiant souls" Jack indicated the two boys "the crew refuse to have anything to do with two royal marines."

Murtogg frowned at the pirate before him. "Yes, but why are you _here_?"

"I would have thought it more obvious than why he—" Jack's kohl lined eyes shifted towards Mullroy. "dug that."

Mullroy stopped digging and slowly looked up at his unlikely rescuer. Mullroy bit his lip, scrambled out of the hole, stood, and surreptitiously began pushing sand with his feet behind him. "See, Murtogg! Ha, ha, uh, I told you he'd come and rescue us!"

Murtogg smiled, "Oh, thank you!"

Jack tossed them the oars. "You two are rowing back."


End file.
